The Effects of Cell Phone Waves (900 MHz-GSM Band) on Sperm Parameters and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Rats.
Ghanbari M1, Mortazavi SB1, Khavanin A1, Khazaei M2. · 2013
View Original AbstractTwo weeks of 900 MHz cell phone radiation significantly reduced sperm quality and antioxidant defenses in rats, with longer exposure causing worse effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed male rats to cell phone radiation at 900 MHz (the frequency used by GSM networks) for two to three weeks and measured effects on sperm quality. They found that exposure significantly reduced sperm viability, motility (swimming ability), and antioxidant defenses compared to unexposed rats, with longer exposure causing greater damage. This suggests cell phone radiation may impair male fertility by creating oxidative stress in reproductive cells.
Why This Matters
This study adds to mounting evidence that radiofrequency radiation affects male reproductive health, even at the cellular level. The 900 MHz frequency tested is identical to what GSM cell phones emit, making these findings directly relevant to everyday exposure. What's particularly concerning is the dose-response relationship the researchers observed - longer exposure caused progressively worse effects on sperm quality. The oxidative stress mechanism identified here aligns with dozens of other studies showing RF radiation depletes the body's antioxidant defenses. While this was an animal study, human sperm cells face the same biological vulnerabilities. The reality is that men today carry active transmitting devices directly against their bodies for hours daily, creating chronic exposure scenarios that may exceed what these rats experienced.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz-GSM Band Duration: Two-week exposure
Study Details
In the present study, the effect of cell phone microwaves on sperm parameters and total antioxidant capacity was investigated with regard to the duration of exposure and the frequency of these waves.
This experimental study was performed on 28 adult male Wistar rats (200-250 g). The animals were ran...
The results indicated that sperm viability, motility, and total antioxidant capacity in all exposure...
Exposure to cell phone waves can decrease sperm viability and motility in rats. These waves can also decrease sperm total antioxidant capacity in rats and result in oxidative stress.
Show BibTeX
@article{m1_2013_the_effects_of_cell_1637,
author = {Ghanbari M1 and Mortazavi SB1 and Khavanin A1 and Khazaei M2.},
title = {The Effects of Cell Phone Waves (900 MHz-GSM Band) on Sperm Parameters and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Rats.},
year = {2013},
url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3850324/},
}